most assuredly this is a male. they leave their burrows in search of females oct-dec so they can mate then die. you can tell the males from the tibial hooks or spurs on the 2 short fore legs. this is likely a "desert blonde". they are really quite docile and can be handled w/ ease. they may rear up and play all tough, but don't you believe it ! a t's bite is less toxic than a bee sting, but they will only bite if you really get rough w/ 'em.

Thank you for the comment and adding all this great info. Are you an expert on spiders? I have a picture of a tiny spider that seems to be very common in Red Rocks, NV and I have no idea what he/she is.

your welcome. but i'm afraid that is the extent of my spider knowledge (hours and hours on the internet to gain that 10 seconds worth of knowledge). i just think they look cool. tarantulas make neat display pets. we have a chilean rose and there are many other species of t's that are even more remarkable in appearance. some though are pretty aggressive, but none have bites more toxic than a bee sting. although a 12" t w/ 1" fangs ain't gonna feel good !